Insight News ::: 07.27.15

Communities United Against Police Brutality (CUAPB) last week called for the dismantling of Minneapolis Civil Rights Department’s Offi ce of Police Conduct Review(OPCR). Michelle Gross, a founder and co-chair of CUAPB, said data obtained from the city of Minneapolis under the Minnesota Government Data Practices Act shows the city engages in a pattern and practice of ignoring citizens’ complaints of police misconduct and a lack of action to address citizen complaints. Gross said CUAPB is asking the city to abolish the OPCR and return to the Civilian Review Authority which OPCR replaced just over two years ago. The new agency should be independent of police department, she said, because “any agency controlled by police will never be able hold police accountable.” Former NAACP president,

Rev. Jerry McAfee, pastor of New Salem Missionary Baptist Church and former president of Minnesota State Baptist Convention, said citizens should demand federal intervention and should demand that the Minneapolis Police Department be placed in receivership. McAfee said the “police department should be put in receivership. We failed for not demanding that. Our call today needs to be back to the Federal government demanding that the entire police department be put in receivership.” Another solution being offered by CUAPB is to require police to carry liability insurance. “We want police to have to carry liability insurance. Insurance companies will hold offi cers accountable even though the city does not want to,” Gross said.

BusinessRobert L. Johnson: The “Urban Movie Channel” interview

PAGE 4

Brother AmosOn the futility of building walls

PAGE 5

Man TalkExtreme sacrifi ce calls for extreme commitment

Women Leading ChangeIda B. Wells’ battle against injustice

PAGE 6 PAGE 8

Minnesota Orchestra appoints Roderick Cox as assistant conductor

Cunningham, Bartley to head African American Leadership Forum

President strong in NAACP speech

Justice advocates call for end to police review agency

There’s a new face at the Minnesota Orchestra and he stands out for quite a few reasons. Roderick Cox is the new assistant conductor of the orchestra – a role he took over in June. At just 27 years old, Cox is one of the youngest assistant conductors in the world of a major orchestra. Cox is also one of the few African-American assistant conductors of a major symphony orchestra. The Minnesota Orchestra is considered a Top 10 tier orchestra. For Cox, being selected as assistant conductor for the Minnesota Orchestra is a grand coup, but he said he put in the work to merit his selection. “Partly, my success at such a young age is because I sacrifi ced much of myself in terms of personal time,” said Cox, who graduated from Columbus State University’s (Ga.) Schwob School of Music and has a master of music from Northwestern University. “A lot of my 20s were spent practicing. Conducting is a physical and mental action. It takes a lot of sacrifi ce. It’s sitting in an orchestra room by yourself for hours.

The Minneapolis African American Leadership Forum (AALF) (www.aalf.us) announced its formation as a non-profi t organization and the election of new leadership for its board of directors. Selected as new co-chairs of AALF’s board of directors are Gary Cunningham, president and CEO of the Metropolitan Economic Development Association (MEDA), and Dr. Sylvia Bartley, senior global marketing manager for Medtronic, PLC. Out-going

co-chairs Tawanna Black, CEO of the Northside Funders Initiative, and Repa Mekha, CEO of Nexus Community Partners, will remain on the AALF board. Minneapolis attorney, Jeffrey Hassan, is AALF’s executive director. “We are very excited to move forward with a new structure for AALF, and partner with the community to create and execute an urban agenda centered on enhancing economic opportunity in the Twin Cities,” said Cunningham.

“Our focus is to solidify the infrastructure required to advance AALF to the next level,” added Sylvia Bartley. “Our intent is to partner with other Black organizations, unifying our voice when addressing challenges and opportunities in our community.” Cunningham is one of the original founders of AALF. He joined MEDA in August 2014 as president and CEO, leading the organization in its mission to help entrepreneurs

of color succeed. Prior to MEDA, Cunningham was vice president and chief program offi cer for the Northwest Area Foundation. He presently serves as board chair for the Association for Black Foundation Executives, council member for the Metropolitan Council in the Twin Cities, trustee for the Metropolitan State University Foundation and trustee for The Minneapolis

Even before his keynote address in front of a cheering crowd at the annual NAACP convention in Philadelphia on Tuesday, President Barack Obama was busy practicing what he had already prepared to preach. A day earlier, the nation’s

fi rst black president, and the 44th man to command the Oval Offi ce, commuted the sentences of 46 nonviolent drug offenders, giving them an opportunity for freedom – 13 were serving life in prison – and a once-in-a-lifetime chance at redemption. And, when it comes to redemption, Obama clearly has re-energized an African-American base who have largely felt abandon during the

Gary Cunningham Dr. Sylvia Bartley

By Harry Colbert, Jr.Contributing Writer

AALF TURN TO 6 SPEECH TURN TO 6

COX TURN TO 6

POLICE TURN TO 6

Shevry Lassiter/Washington InformerPresident Obama, the keynote speaker at the NAACP 106th

Annual National Convention in Philadelphia on July 14, discussed plans to reform the U.S. criminal justice system.

By Stacy M. BrownSpecial to the NNPA from The Washington Informer

L-R: Clyde Bellecourt, Dave Bicking and Michelle Gross

RECONSTRUCT: I Self Devine’s decade album Anniversary Saturday at First Ave

aesthetically speaking

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Protect your teens with vaccinationsDid you know that younger teens need vaccines, too? As kids get older, the protection from some of their childhood vaccines begins to wear off. There are also new diseases that teens can come in contact with in this stage of their lives. Keep your teens healthy with the Tdap, meningococcal, HPV, and infl uenza vaccines.

Vaccines for teensTdap VaccineThis vaccine protects against three serious diseases: tetanus, diphtheria, and pertussis (also known as whooping cough). Your teen should receive the Tdap vaccine at 11 or 12 years old.

Meningococcal Vaccine (MCV4)Meningococcal conjugate vaccine, also called the MCV4 vaccine, protects against some of the germs that can cause meningitis. Meningitis is a serious disease that can cause swelling around the lining of the brain and spinal cord. It can also cause a life threatening blood infection. Your teen needs this vaccine at 11 or 12 years old. They will need another meningococcal shot when they are 16 years old.

HPV VaccineThis shot is cancer prevention! Almost all people will have a human papillomavirus (HPV) infection at some time in their lives and some forms of HPV can cause cancer. HPV vaccines help protect against HPV infections and the cancers they cause. Both boys and girls should receive HPV vaccine. Teens need a series of three HPV shots starting at 11 or 12 years old.

Infl uenza VaccineThis vaccine protects against infl uenza (fl u) and should be given every fall. The fl u can cause health problems such as dehydration or lung infections.

Shots don’t have to be scary!Help your teen be as calm and comfortable as possible when getting their vaccines. Have them

bring along their favorite music and headphones; or have them close their eyes and imagine a favorite place or activity. Remind them that getting shots may sting a little, but it’s much better than getting sick!

When should my child be vaccinated?A good time to get these vaccines is during a yearly checkup. Your teen can also get these vaccines at a physical exam required for sports, school, or camp. Even if your teen missed these vaccines at 11 or 12 years, they can still get them at an older age. It’s a good idea to ask your health care provider at every visit if there are any vaccines your teen may need.

What else should I know about these vaccines?These vaccines have all been studied very carefully and are

safe and effective. They can cause mild side effects, like soreness or redness at the spot where the shot was given. Occasionally, teens faint after getting shots. It’s a good idea to sit for 15 minutes afterwards. It is very important to tell your health care provider if your teen has any serious allergies before they receive any shots.

How can I get help paying for these vaccines?The Vaccines for Children (VFC) program provides free or low cost vaccines for some children and teens. Talk to your health care provider for more information and to fi nd out if you’re eligible.

Where can I learn more?Visit www.vax4teens.com for more information on keeping your teen healthy and happy.

At Medica, you’re not just part of a health plan. You’re part of a community that believes in better health for all.

Learn more at medica.com

You belong.The health plan with you in mind.


BUSINESSThree more things you need to know before writing a proposal

Robert L. Johnson: The “Urban Movie Channel” interview

Last week’s column focused on six basic things you should know before writing a proposal. With this column, we address three more nuanced things to consider. Some nonprofi ts create a “boiler plate” proposal and send it out to as many foundations and

corporations as possible, hoping to “get a hit.” That is one strategy, and sometimes it is appropriate. Making small modifi cations to a standard proposal is effi cient, particularly when seeking to secure sponsorships and smaller grants. In general, we suggest a more targeted approach. Here are three things to consider: 1. What percentage of your revenue do you project will come from foundations or corporations? We recommend building diverse revenue streams. This is important for long term reasons such as having other revenue streams should foundation/corporation giving

contract. A shorter term reason to diversify your revenue is that it signals fi nancial health to foundations who are reviewing your proposal. 2. What percentage of your operating or program budget are you requesting from a specifi c foundation? Looking to one funder for the majority of your funding sends a red fl ag to many funders. They have responsibilities they have to consider: one of those is what will happen to your organization or program if they need to reduce or eliminate their support. Does your proposal include a discussion of who you will be approaching for additional

funds? Are these realistic potential funders, or foundations you would like to approach but don’t yet know if they will consider your request? This information helps a program offi cer evaluate your proposal and your ability to deliver on some or all of the deliverables. When developing your project or organizational budget be prepared to answer the question “what if you don’t secure all the funds that you need?” 3. Is your nonprofi t a strong match with the priorities of the foundation you are writing to? For example, if a foundation seeks to reduce poverty in a specifi c

area, it looks to fund nonprofi ts with a track record of work in that area, that have accountable and effective leadership, and strong community relationships. This is in addition to effective programming and a proposed evaluation method. These are the business decisions that should be made in advance of submitting a funding request and communicated through your proposal. This is the work of the board and executive leadership, and not the work of fundraising staff and volunteers. It is work that supports fundraising success and that takes time. Looking for foundation

support – “we’ll get a grant” – as a cure all for revenue shortfalls is not a fundraising strategy. Fundraising is competitive, and as a nonprofi t leader it is your responsibility to understand the funding landscape and to proactively address the serious questions that funders will ask.

Copyright 2015– Mel and Pearl Shaw

Mel and Pearl Shaw position nonprofi ts, colleges and universities for fundraising success. For help with your fundraising visit www.saadandshaw.com or call (901) 522-8727.

Robert L. “Bob” Johnson is the Founder and Chairman of The RLJ Companies, an innovative business network that owns or holds interests in businesses operating in hotel real estate, private equity, consumer fi nancial services, asset management, automobile dealerships, sports and entertainment, and video lottery terminal (VLT) gaming. Prior to forming The RLJ Companies, Johnson was founder and chairman of Black Entertainment Television (BET), the nation’s fi rst and leading television network providing quality entertainment, music, news, sports and public affairs programming for the African American audience. Johnson continues to attract and manage capital and create value for investors, and in 2012, announced the successful creation of RLJ Entertainment, Inc., one of the largest independent global distributors of digital and video content. RLJ is the third company he’s taken public. In 1991, BET became the fi rst African-American company to be traded on the New York Stock Exchange. And RLJ Lodging Trust, a $2 billion market cap hotel real estate investment trust (REIT), went public in 2011. In 2001, Johnson sold BET to Viacom for approximately $3 billion while remaining the Chief Executive Offi cer through 2006. The following year, he

was named one of “The 25 Most Infl uential Business Leaders of the Past 25 Years” by USA Today. In 2014, three of Johnson’s holding companies were featured on the Black Enterprise 100s list: RML Automotive, LLC ranked 1st in a category of 60 in the auto dealership rankings; and RLJ Equity Partners, LLC and RLJ Credit Management, LLC ranked

12th and 14th respectively on the private equity fi rms list. Currently, Johnson serves on the following boards: RLJ Lodging Trust; RLJ Entertainment, Inc.; KB Home; Lowe’s Companies, Inc.; Retirement Clearinghouse; Strayer Education; Elevate Credit, Inc.; The Business Council; and the Smithsonian Institution’s National Museum of African American History and Culture. Johnson holds a Master’s degree in Public Affairs from the Woodrow Wilson School of Public and International Affairs at Princeton University and a Bachelor of Arts in Social Studies from the University of Illinois. Here, he talks about his recent launch of the Urban Movie Channel (UMC), a premium subscription-based video streaming service exclusive to RLJ Entertainment. UMC is the fi rst urban focused digital streaming channel devoted to the acquisition of feature fi lms, comedy specials, stage plays, documentaries, music, and entertainment for the African American and urban audiences. Access to the impressive on-demand streaming library is available with online

from mobile devices, and on the Roku platform.

Kam Williams: Hi Bob, thanks for another opportunity to speak with you.Robert L. Johnson: I’m delighted, Kam.

KW: When’re you coming back to Princeton? I didn’t see you at the recent African-American alumni reunion here.RLJ: I spoke there many years ago, but I haven’t been back in awhile.

KW: I’ll be mixing in questions from readers with my own. Let’s start with one from attorney Willard Alonzo Stanback about the Urban Movie Channel. He’d like to know how you see this new platform being used in the new world of multiple screens experiences. Will you be bringing your content to all of the computer and other available functionality, such as social media and interactive technology? RLJ: UMC is an over the top, digital streaming channel that is subscription-based, meaning that the consumer pays to get the service. It is targeted to the Urban/African-American audience, but we believe good entertainment is colorblind, so it is available to everybody, essentially, who wants to go to the site. If you have a web browser, you can get UMC. Our goal with UMC is to bring the creative talent in the African-American community, which in many ways is underemployed, to the consumers who desire to see the content that projects their images and tells their stories. And it is designed to create an economic model where members of the creative community can monetize their talent and where the consumers will have a choice to purchase product and content that they can see on any device, whether it’s their fl at screen TV, their mobile phone, i-Pad , or any other device that can receive digital streaming content. We believe that, given the choice, these consumers will see UMC as a service they’d like to have along with Hulu, Netfl ix, Amazon Prime or HBO Go in order to get content not available elsewhere, and at the price they want.

KW: Menelik Shabazz, who is based in Britain, asks: Are you interested in extending your distribution vision to include

Black World Cinema? RLJ: To this gentleman, I would say the answer is “Absolutely yes!” The great thing about the digital world and the internet is that you can instantly be available to a global marketplace. And there is a tremendous amount of creative content in what I would call the multicultural or diaspora of people of color that we believe would clearly be attractive to audiences here in the U.S. And by the same token, content produced here would be attractive to people around the world. African-American creative content has proven its ability to travel. Jazz is a universal music enjoyed around the globe, as well as are other African-American cultural infl uences, such as hip-hop and rap music. We want to make sure that happens with feature fi lms and other content that hasn’t been exposed as much as the music in terms of its potential to appeal to a wider audience. I also think this represents a unique business opportunity in terms of the exchange of content between UMC and other platform distributors around the globe, whereby we can share content distribution as well as provide for distribution of content that would be acquired and licensed.

KW: Sangeetha Subramanian asks: What can the average person do to help improve diversity in entertainment media?RLJ: Well, the most important thing that the average consumer can do is to take advantage of the opening of the marketplace where you the consumer controls what content you watch or gain access to. Because of the availability of all sorts of platforms, you’re no longer tied to cable, the networks or the satellites. You can be your own programmer. And that’s the beauty of UMC. For the fi rst time, urban content can fl ow directly to the consumers without any gatekeepers. So you’re not controlled by what advertisers are willing to sponsor, by what studio heads decide to produce, or by the cable operators who will force you to pay for content that you don’t want to see through their bunded channels. You are your own curator; you are your own programmer. So, to me, the smartest thing any consumer can do is subscribe to whatever

By Mel and Pearl Shaw

FUNdraisingGood Times

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Robert L. Johnson

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On the futility of building walls

How we receive our guests

“If elected as President, I will have a wall built along the US-Mexican border and I will get the Mexicans to pay for it” - Donald Trump 2015 announcing his presidential bid…

Dear Mr. Donald Trump

It is a futile endeavor building walls! Efforts to build walls to keep “bad” people out have always failed. Homer, in the Iliad, tells about the disastrous Trojan Wall, built to keep the Greeks out. And in the Iliad, which people think is thousands of years old, we are

told that thanks to Odysseus and his wiles, the Greeks brought into the city of Troy the Wooden Horse fi lled with Greek soldiers. That was the end of the Trojan Wall. Since then there have been a number of other walls: the Great Wall of China, the great walls in India, Hadrian’s Wall… and all of them are just decaying monuments

of historic stupidity. And don’t forget that last shameful wall we all saw torn down -- the infamous Berlin Wall. It did nothing but bring misery, discord and death. President Regan said correctly, “Tear that wall down!” And that is what happened. So why another wall? The Donald Trump Wall is really quite

a stupid idea. Why not take that money you want the Mexicans to cough up…and add some of your own money, and use the proceeds to improve the economic well-being of the Mexican people? Improving the economic condition, ensuring a thriving Mexico will do more than any wall will do to keep illegal immigration

to a minimum if not eliminate it. Mr. Trump, please let us not build a wall.

Brother Amos is Dr. Krishna Seshan PhD, a former Silicon Valley engineer, author and educator who currently resides in Twin Cities.

“… every valley shall be exalted, and every hill and mountain shall be made low, the rough places will be made plain, and the crooked places will be made straight; “and the glory of the Lord shall be revealed…” – MLK

On a recent Sunday, Mr. Amundson, 86 years of age, came in on the Greyhound bus from Yankton, SD. It’s so small a town, he tells me, the bus does not stop there. I see him at the YMCA. He’s been told he can’t use the restroom because he is not a member. I take him in as my guest. Mr. Amundson’s appearance is remarkable. He is bent over double with age. “I can easily see pennies people drop” he says. I pick them up. I notice people don’t pick up pennies these days” he tells me. He’d like some lunch. “A cup of soup and bread should do me,” he says, adding, “I notice the people here are a little heavy.” All services are closed. I buy him a cup of soup. I take him to the Salvation Army. “You can’t come in here,” he’s told. “We don’t serve dinner till 6pm. You have to wait on the road somewhere.” “Do not worry,” he tells me. “I have my Bible. I will read it.” Looking at your fate “I don’t believe in a God that intervenes in

the daily affairs of individuals,” I tell him. “This is a free country,” he tells me. “You can believe what you want.” I believe God cares for all of us always,” he tells me. I am appalled. Is this the way we treat a veteran of over 20 years? We don’t even allow them access to rest rooms. “I am just

a poor man from South Dakota,” he says. “God and kind people care for me. I have no relatives. All dead.” I have heard it said, “A nation not mindful of its past is not deserving of a future. “ I muse upon what future we can have if we treat our veterans and seniors like Mr. Amundson has been treated.

I leave our guest on the front steps of the Salvation Army. Mr. Amundson is happily reading his battered bible and drying out his shirt in the sunshine.

Brother Amos is Dr. Krishna Seshan PhD, a former Silicon Valley engineer, author and educator who currently resides in Twin Cities.

By Brother Amos

By Brother Amos

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Dave Bicking, a CUAPB volunteer and leader who served on CRA from 2008 through 2010 said the key to ending police brutality is accountability. Discipline of offi cers who engage in brutality against citizens is not intended to punish the offi cers, he said but rather to correct unacceptable behavior and hold the standard of what is acceptable and what is not acceptable up for other offi cers. Bicking said CRA was established in the 1990’s after a series of police actions including a horrifi c event that ended in the deaths of two citizens. He said though the city intentionally kept the CRA weak, the agency still provided a place for residents to lodge complaints without having to talk to the police about the police. Three years ago the city decided CRA’s limited power was too much power in the hands of citizens and started a

secret process to dismantle it and replace it with the current Offi ce of Police Conduct Review, he said. The city did not tell people what was going on, Bicking said, claiming that even some council members didn’t know about the changes. The current OPCR was put is place after much community protest, and the OPCR record over the past two years is evidence of its unequivocal failure, he said. Bicking said in the 2 1/2 years through March 15, 2015, OPCR received over 900 complaints against Minneapolis police including 162 allegations of excessive force. He said 392 complaints were thrown out by a committee consisting of a Civil Rights Department employee and police department supervisors. In total, less than 10% of complaints fi led led to even an interview with the offi cer against whom allegations were made. Only 52 of the 962 cases fi led merited such consideration. And of those, only two cases resulted in discipline of offi cers. Bicking said such a dismal

record suggests “the city doesn’t seem to care about people who complain about police misconduct.” “OPCR is worse than useless,” Bicking said. Zion Baptist Church Pastor Brian Herron said he was at the press conference in support of Al Flowers, one of the many whose complaints were tossed out by the OPCR. “The issue continues to plague us. We have been talking about the same thing and not getting results. It seems like there is some movement right now because the Feds may be getting involved again, but nothing will happen if the community is not involved,” he said. It’s just wrong for the police to pull a citizen out of their house, beat them brutally, and still not charge them. That is violating someone’s rights. We don’t want offi cers determining who deserves justice and who doesn’t. When police never admit that they were wrong, there is no opportunity for justice. They don’t want to admit their wrongdoing,” Herron said. Urban League Interim President Steve Belton said he joined the press conference to express that the African American community is not “anti-police, but pro-justice.” The community does not condemn individuals, but disagrees with bad police behavior, he said. “It’s simple. They should protect and serve us. They have to see us as humans. What happened to Al Flowers could happen to anybody at this table… being subjected to violence because we asked questions, particularly regarding our family. The community ought to be outraged. This is not a Black issue, not a Northside issue. It is a state and national issue. The way out is to ask for, and demand and expect accountability. Let’s not wait till Ferguson happens here. It could happen and it will happen unless we are prepared to do something about it now,” he said.

“The pen is mightier than the sword.” Ida B. Wells wielded her pen for the advancement of racial equality and racial justice. She skillfully waged war through her publications and work as editor of Memphis Free Speech and Headlight. She continued to strategically advance social change while serving as a

journalist with Chicago’s Daily Inter Ocean and the Chicago Conservator, one of the oldest African-American publications in the United States. On July 16, as we celebrated her 153rd birthday, we are reminded of the power of writing as advocacy. Writing is indispensable tool for leaders since it is a tactical tool that can be employed to build and sustain social change. It can be used as a tool to educate diverse audiences, organize social change initiatives and advocate for social reform. On my leadership journey, I studied the leadership legacy of Ida B. Wells, who admonished leaders to take action when she stated, “The way to right wrongs is to shed a light upon them.” I also interviewed modern day civil rights pioneers who are

transforming our communities as they battle to make equal justice under the law a lived reality. In my leadership book, “The Lawyer as Leader: How to Plant People and Grow Justice,” I profi led a few lawyers who are employing writing as advocacy as a tool to advance social change, including Bonnie Allen, who trains public interest lawyers, Edgar Cahn, who created the blueprint for the Legal Services Corp. and founded Timebanks USA and John Powell, founder of the Institute on Race and Poverty at the University of Minnesota. Allen exercises writing as a form of advocacy in a wide variety of ways and reaches others through her written publications. Her publications include law review articles, refl ective writing/

devotionals, and policy papers. Her recent law review article explored the formation and development of the fi rst legal services clinic following Hurricane Katrina. This clinic is the fi rst of its kind, community recovery lawyering clinic, founded by the University of Maryland School of Law in partnership with Mississippi Center for Justice. Community recovery lawyering refers to “a long-term, comprehensive, community-driven process by which community organizations and enterprises seek to reduce poverty and recover from disinvestment.” More than 1,500 law students and youth volunteers were drawn to the Mississippi Delta and New Orleans to minister

This is a last of a three part series concerning the issue of whether racism is still alive in America, which the conversation was provoked by a rash of murders of, often times, innocent African-Americans taking place throughout the country. In Part I of this series, we discussed the rising heroin

epidemic in rural Nebraska and Iowa, and the fact that it’s not considered a “crime problem” but rather a “public health issue.” We also discussed how such dangerous, life threatening drugs, such as alcohol and tobacco, and lottery gambling, are made legal, while African-Americans, mostly men, are incarcerated, often times for life, for consensual non-violent drug transactions. In Part II, we discussed a drug called Opana, an opium like drug, which is legally produced by a company called Endo Pharmaceuticals and approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. Opana is similar in chemical structure to heroin. Time magazine stated that middle-aged Americans (read white folks) are more likely to die from an opioid

overdose than they are from a car accident or a violent crime. In fact, the American Journal of Medicine stated that in 2010 more than 57 percent of drug-overdose deaths were caused by pharmaceuticals. Now that these “epidemics” are hitting white folks, Republican presidential candidates want to not only make them legal, but provide medically assisted addiction treatment and “decriminalize” drug addiction. Black folks have been demonized for decades as being “drug addicts” and drug abusers, and locked behind bars like animals; but now that it involves white America, drug addiction is a health problem and should be decriminalized. This is what is called “duplicity.” Duplicity means deceit, dishonesty, double-dealing, chicanery, trickery, etc.

You get the picture. So, why do we have this duplicity or double-dealing? I’m a lawyer by profession, and recently attended a continuing legal education training session during which a video of what is known as “unconscious Bias” was shown. I encourage all readers to go on YouTube and search for “What Would You Do? Bike Theft (White Guy, Black Guy, Pretty Girl).” The video is of three different people using a hacksaw, one after the other, to saw the chain off of a locked bicycle in a public park area. The video was staged – all done by actors. The fi rst thief was a young 20-something white male, who was wearing “urban gear” – baggy pants and tee shirt, and baseball cap turned backwards. As (white) folks

passed by the thief, they barely noticed him trying to cut the chain off of the bike with a hack saw. A couple of people stopped and asked him if it was his bike. When he replied, “Technically, no,” they just kept going. The second thief was a young 20-something Black male, wearing the same urban gear – same baggy pants and tee shirt, and baseball cap turned backwards. As people passed, almost everyone stopped to ask him what he was doing. They asked if it was his bike, and when he replied “Technically, no,” they called 911 to have him arrested. The third thief was a young 20-something white female, dressed similar to the two men. In her case, the passers-by actually asked her if she “needed help.” They didn’t ask her what she was

doing, whether it was her bike – none of that. So, what’s going on in each of these scenarios? The short answer is what is called “unconscious bias.” Unconscious bias is how the brain reacts to facts and circumstances, without even thinking about them. For example, if one were to see grizzly bear, rattle snake or rat, a person would probably react instinctively with fear and try to distance himself or herself from the danger, without even thinking about it. In a similar way, we’ve been trained in this society, and indeed throughout the world, to instinctively react when we see Black folks; and, in particular young males and

Mightier than sword

Ida B. Wells’ battle against injustice

Unconscious bias: Is racism still alive?

fi rst seven years of his historic presidency. “The president’s speech was groundbreaking and it was sweeping in what he said,” Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz, the chair of the Democratic National Committee, said. Passionately, Obama spoke of how Blacks are often the target of the criminal justice system. He said Blacks and Latinos are more likely to be stopped and frisked and the president acknowledged something that black leaders and those throughout the community have lamented for decades: jails and prisons are full of African Americans and minorities, many receiving more time for similar crimes committed by whites. “Any system that allows us to turn a blind-eye to hopelessness and despair, that’s not a justice system,

that’s an injustice system,” Obama said to cheers. “Justice is not only the absence of oppression; it’s the presence of opportunity.” The president noted that America is home to fi ve percent of the world’s population but he said it’s also home to 25 percent of the world’s prison. African Americans and Latinos make up 30 percent of the U.S. population, but represent 60 percent of American inmates, Obama said. Upon arriving in Philadelphia for the convention, the president met with those who’d previously been incarcerated. The group shared their stories with Obama and discussed their reintegration following their release as well as the work they’re doing to help other formerly incarcerated individuals and at-risk youth through community service, mentorship and education. “By just about every measure, the life chances for Black and Hispanic youth still

lag far behind those of their white peers,” Obama said. “Our kids, America’s children, so often are isolated, without hope, less likely to graduate from high school, less likely to earn a college degree, less likely to be employed, less likely to have health insurance, less likely to own a home.” “Part of this is a legacy of hundreds of years of slavery and segregation, and structural inequalities that compounded over generations. It did not happen by accident. Partly, it’s a result of continuing, if sometimes more subtle, bigotry whether in who gets called back for a job interview, or who gets suspended from school, or what neighborhood you are able to rent an apartment in which, by the way, is why our recent initiative to strengthen the awareness and effectiveness of fair housing laws is so important,” the president said. He added that no one can be satisfi ed or not satisfi ed until the opportunity gap is closed for everybody in America.

Foundation, in addition to serving as a fellow for the National Academy of Public Administration. Cunningham is married to Minneapolis Mayor

Betsy Hodges. Bartley, has worked for Medtronic for more than 13 years. A native of England, Bartley has lived in Minnesota since 2010. She has been an active member of AALF since her arrival in Minnesota. She serves as the chair of the board of directors for Harvest Network of Schools

and is a board member of Twin Cities Habitat for Humanity and Achieve Minneapolis. Bartley was recognized for her community work and achievements with a 2014 Bush Foundation Fellowship, and received the Minneapolis and St. Paul Business Journal’s 2013 Diversity in Business Award.

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There’s lots of physical and emotional fatigue.” But don’t think Cox is complaining – quite the opposite. He said now that he’s landed in the Twin Cities things have become quite enjoyable. “I’m meeting a lot of people who are not in the music industry and that’s providing a lot of balance for me. I feel like I’m in a place of comfort in my life.” While mellow and placid away from the orchestra, Cox transforms into an animated and commanding character when conducting. He said his job as conductor is to bring music to life through the playing of some 80 to 100 musicians – all performing as one. “It’s our job (as conductors) to be the mediator between the composer and the musician,” said Cox. “It’s my job to interpret the composer’s vision and convey it to the musicians through my

hands, arms and body; so it matters greatly who stands in front of an orchestra.” According to Cox, classical music is one of the most powerful forms of music. “African-Americans are drawn to gospel because of its power and inspiration. I think classical music can be just as powerful,” said Cox. “These composers are just like you and me … they had struggles and obstacles and they wrote music about their struggles. So you may ask how can an African-American from a small community of Georgia relate to (composers) Tchaikovsky or Brahms. These men were human and they spoke through their music. Classical music is a human art form for all of us to embrace.” Unlike many conductors who come with generations of musical background, Cox did not receive his fi rst musical lesson until he was nine years old, but he said he was instantly drawn to classical music. “My level of exposure was

quite progressive. When I started in band at nine years old I loved the fact that a number of individuals can come together from so many different backgrounds and make one unifi ed sound,” said Cox, who started as a French horn player, but now can play almost any instrument. Highly accomplished, Cox’s selection was not just picking a name out of a hat. Cox was the winner of the 2013 Robert J. Harth Conducting Prize from the Aspen Music Festival. “Many talented c onductors applied for this position,” said Osmo Vänskä, music director of the Minnesota Orchestra. “Roderick emerged as a very musical conductor and demonstrated a great ability to connect from the podium with musicians and audiences.” Cox, a native of Macon, Ga., comes to the Minnesota Orchestra following a conducting fellowship with the Chicago Sinfonietta. Prior to that, for two years Cox served as the assistant conductor of the Alabama Symphony Orchestra.

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By Jeffrey A. Hassan, Executive Director African American Leadership Forum

Ouragenda

By Dr. Artika Tyner

Women Leading Change

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Ida B. Wells

Al Flowers


EDUCATIONTyner named Interim Offi cer for Diversity and Inclusion at St. Thomas University

Dr. Carlton Jenkins selected as new Robbinsdale Area Schools Superintendent

Education Minnesota applauds Senate passage of U.S. Every Child Achieves Act

Dr. Artika Tyner, assistant professor of public policy and leadership in the College of Education, Leadership and Counseling, has been named interim offi cer for diversity and inclusion. Tyner will take up the work begun by Dr. Calvin Hill earlier this year while a search for a permanent associate

vice president of diversity and inclusion is conducted. “Within this new role, I seek to advance the foundational precepts of our mission – diversity, community and inclusiveness. This mission demonstrates our commitment to ensure that the University of St. Thomas is a vibrant diverse community in which, together, we work for a more just and inclusive society,” Tyner said. Her research has explored diversity as a core leadership

competence, building an inclusive classroom, dismantling the school-to-prison pipeline and developing new educational pipelines for students of color. She is the author of “The Leader’s Journey: A Guide to Discovering the Leader Within,” which focuses on leadership development and diversity/inclusion. Father Larry Snyder, vice president for mission at St. Thomas, noted that, “Dr. Tyner leads by example by

organizing policy campaigns, fostering restorative justice practices, developing social entrepreneurship initiatives and promoting assets-based community development. She also serves as a global citizen by supporting education, entrepreneurship and women’s leadership initiatives in Africa. With this appointment, the University of St. Thomas renews its commitment to continuing to make diversity a priority through all aspects of university life.”

The Robbinsdale Area School Board announced last week that it offered the superintendent position to Dr. Carlton Jenkins, who verbally accepted. Dr. Jenkins will replace Dr. Aldo Sicoli who resigned to take the superintendent job at Roseville Area Schools. Jenkins was chosen with a 7-0 vote. Dr. Jenkins comes to the district from Atlanta Public Schools, where he served as the chief academic offi cer.

Jenkins spent four years (2010-14) as the superintendent of the Saginaw Public Schools, a district in Michigan with 7,500 students (15 schools, including 10 elementary schools, 1 middle school and 3 high schools). He came to this position after serving for four years as the executive director of secondary leaders (and being a high school principal) in the Beloit Public Schools system in Wisconsin. Prior to this, Jenkins served as

a high school principal in the Columbus Public Schools in Ohio. His experience also includes one year as a middle school principal, two years as an associate principal at a high school in the Beloit Public Schools and one year as an associate principal at a high school in Madison, Wisc. His teaching career started in 1989 at Beloit Memorial High School. Jenkins earned

his Ph.D. from the University of Wisconsin-Madison, the same school where he earned his Master of Science in Educational Administration. He is credited with increasing graduation rates in Saginaw by 14 percent. “The Board is thrilled to offer the superintendent position to someone of Dr. Jenkins’ caliber,” said Sherry Tyrrell, chair of the School Board. “Dr. Jenkins is a proven

leader with a commitment to academic excellence. We know he will bring a high level of energy and expertise to his new role as our superintendent.” The School Board will now begin negotiating a contract with Dr. Jenkins and plans to confi rm the decision at its Aug. 3 meeting. Dr. Jenkins is expected to begin his new position in late August.

President Denise Specht released the following statement in reaction to passage by the U.S. Senate of the Every Child Achieves Act, the bipartisan overhaul of the No Child Left Behind law. “The failed policies of No Child Left Behind are almost behind us,” Specht said. “Today the Senate took a big step toward reducing high-stakes testing in schools, increasing access to early childhood programs and holding schools accountable for providing programs and services to the students who need them the most.” “It will take weeks or months for the conference committee to reach a successful compromise

that keeps the best elements of the Senate bill, but it is clear Congress has lost its appetite for micromanaging local schools,” Specht said. “Education Minnesota welcomes the opportunity to work with policy-makers and partners in Minnesota to create school environments that prepare every child for a successful life.” “One disappointment in the bill was the Senate’s failure to adopt Sen. Al Franken’s proposal to legally protect LGBT students from bullying and discrimination in schools,” Specht said. “We will continue to support the senator’s efforts to get this important provision into the fi nal bill.”

Mark BrownArtika Tyner

By Kelly Engebretson‘99 M.A.

Carlton Jenkins

it is you want to see. And the more people subscribe to urban content, the more of it will be produced for your enjoyment.

KW: Dr. Karanja Ajanaku asks: Mr. Johnson, do you think there is any possibility whatsoever that African-Americans will organize their consumption power in such a way that it can be leveraged? RLJ: Well, to answer that question, Doctor, I’d say African-Americans already organize their consumption power. They just don’t leverage it. For example, African-Americans as a whole watch more television than any other population group in the country in terms of total hours spent in front of the TV. African-Americans are heavy consumers of pay TV and cable TV. African-Americans are early adopters of new technology, whether it’s Twitter, Facebook or Instagram. The key is that we have to make sure that choices are available to us, so that our purchasing power will yield content that we want to see. For example, there are two million African-American cable subscribers who also take HBO and Showtime at a cost of about $40 a month. That’s a billion dollars of buying power. We’d like to see some of that billion dollars of buying power go to UMC. We promise you that that money will fl ow to the creative talent, both in front of and behind the camera, to deliver programming that specifi cally appeals to your viewing interest. So, this new technology, allowing you to leverage your dollars, will change the way African-Americans access content and also change the way that content is produced to appeal to African-Americans.

KW: AALBC’s Troy Johnson asks: Do you think it would be possible for another Black owned media conglomerate, like BET, to emerge in today’s environment?RLJ: It’s defi nitely possible, but it would be very diffi cult to do in this environment. It was diffi cult when I started BET. Today, the internet makes it possible for a lot

of African-American content to fl ow freely to the consumers since there are no gatekeepers, and it is global in terms of its accessibility. We at RLJ Entertainment are laying the foundation to be sort of a BET in the Digital Age by creating the distribution platform of the Urban Movie Channel, by licensing content from independent producers of urban content, by helping them produce that content, and by promoting the awareness of it. We believe that as a fi rst mover in this space, RLJ Entertainment has the potential to become a success story like BET and, obviously, I have a lot of experience in making that happen.

KW: Ilene Proctor asks: How is your focus today different from at the inception of your media empire?RLJ: I think the difference is more the technology than the focus. When I started BET, its carriage was totally dependent on the development

of cable television in the urban market. Its programming was totally dependent upon getting programming primarily from the networks. Its programming was dependent upon advertising support and cable carriage. And the ability to market it was limited to either buying black radio or going into urban oriented magazines like Ebony, Jet or Essence. Today, there are no gatekeepers in the digital space. I don’t need to talk to a cable operator. I don’t have to go to Ford Motor Company or Procter and Gamble for advertising support. I don’t need to approach the networks for programming. There’s tremendous talent out there producing programming. And I don’t have to spend a lot of money on radio to reach the local markets. I can promote on Facebook and stream information on Youtube while the artists talk about their fi lms on Twitter. The avenues for getting the word out have expanded vastly since when I started BET thanks to

the technology revolution of the internet and the Digital Age.

KW: Professor/Filmmaker/Author Hisani Dubose asks:

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LIFESTYLE

ManTalk

By Timothy Houston

MotivationalMoments

By Penny Jones-Richardson

Extreme sacrifi ce calls for extreme commitment

Focus on what is going right in your life

Next week, the Minnesota Ecclesiastical Jurisdiction of the Church of God in Christ (COGIC) will celebrates 92 years of ministry and service to our community during its Holy Convocation . Congratulations go out to Bishop Fred W. Washington and State Supervisor Patricia Hayes for another successful year of serving our community. The theme for this year’s celebration is “Christ extreme sacrifi ce calls for our extreme commitment.” Bishop Washington continues to demonstrate his extreme commitment by challenging us all to support him in his goal of willing 10,000 souls to Christ.

Also, the Minnesota COGIC Jurisdiction has renewed its extreme commitment to helping the community live the best life possible. In return, we need the community to help the church. First, the community must help the church in its role of shaping our community. The Black church has had a major role in shaping our society. Every signifi cant movement in our community has its roots in the Black church. From the early freedom movement to the most recent civil rights and equality movement, all work through the African American churches. From abolitionists Fredrick Douglas, who taught plantation slaves to read during his Sunday school class, to Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., who championed the civil rights movement through the pulpit, the Black church, was instrumental in its success. This is our legacy. Next, the community must help the church in its role of shaping our families. The

community is a collection of families, and the long term effects of slavery, racism, and discrimination has negatively impacted their spiritual and emotional health. Without the church as a healthy outlet

to this negative spiritual and emotional energy, people will express themselves in unhealthy ways and the family as a whole will suffer. When this happens, drugs and

alcohol become the coping mechanisms of choice. Every day, the church stands as a beacon of light and hope. Here in Minnesota, for 92 years, the Minnesota Ecclesiastical Jurisdiction of Church of God in Christ has seen to the spiritual, emotionally, physical, and fi nancial needs of the people because in church, there is help. This is our heritage. Finally, the community must help the church in its role of shaping us as individuals. Our view of community is shaped by our sense of self. When a man’s heart is not right, the community as a whole is at risk. The church is the only entity truly qualifi ed by God to deal with the spirit of a person. It is at church that we learned that love conquerors hate, and that we must do unto others as we would them to do to us. Church taught us that personal victories proceed public victories, and being honest with self-precedes being honest with others. Every day, the church helps people

transform their lives for the better. This is our faith. Bishop Fred W. Washington, State Supervisor Patricia Hayes and the Minnesota Ecclesiastical Jurisdiction of Church of God in Christ invite you to celebrate with us. The Holy Convocation Services will be held at 7:30 PM nightly August 3-9 2015 at North Central University, 1401 Elliot Ave S, Minneapolis, MN. Please join us in our extreme commitment in response to Christ’s extreme sacrifi ce. I am a personal testament of the impact Christ’s sacrifi ce can have in a person’s life. Because of Him, I am above all men most richly blessed! For additional information, please go to www.cogicmn.org Timothy Houston is an author, minister, and motivational speaker who is committed to guiding positive life changes in families and communities. For questions, comments or more information, go to www.tlhouston.com.

Today is a day to be thankful for all that you have and everything

that you are working toward becoming. Let’s be thankful for the ability to set goals and work toward them. Don’t let anyone or anything stand in your way of completing what you started and seeing it through to the end. I know there are lots of times when “Life” happens and we get a little side tracked, but stay on your path and keep working toward your greatness! I know of a person that is

always working hard on having a better life, but as soon as one little obstacle shows up, they want to give it all up and say it was a waste of time to believe that they could have a better live. I believe the key is to never give up and focus on the steps you’ve achieved already to get to this point. How will you know how it feels to be a winner, if you always quit before you win? You have to train your mind to think like

a winner and what it will look like and feel like when you have accomplished your goals. I also say that nothing happens overnight, but if you believe in yourself it will happen for you too. That is what being thankful is all about. When you have an attitude of gratitude, things will start to change in your life. Stop focusing on what is not going right in your life and think about what is. Visualize your

life as it would be if you never complete that one goal that you really want to complete. How would your life be if you threw up your hands today and said that you will stop right here and just keep living like you are right now? Now look around, this is what your life will look like if you give up on your goals. You will be right there where you are doing exactly what you are doing today. Wondering how your life

would look if you completed that goal! Think about it! And as always, stay focused, stay determined, and keep striving for greatness.

Penny Jones-Richardson is a published author and life coach. She can be reached via her website at www.thequeensproject.com or email at [email protected].

Bishop Fred W. Washington State Supervisor Patricia Hayes

If you were an independent fi lmmaker today, would you go after theatrical distribution, streaming, mobile or cable? RLJ: I’d really focus on delivering my content in the digital space as a way of getting a strong following that would recognize your creative storytelling ability. Once you achieve that, you’ll have a calling card to go to the studios or TV networks to show the passion for your content as refl ected in your number of viewers. I would take advantage of that. The costs of

distribution and marketing are lower. I would certainly start there and then move up to the other levels if you so desire. But I clearly think the future is in digital distribution of content as opposed to the traditional models. .

KW: These two questions are similar. Publisher Reggie Kearney asks: What the best piece of advice you have to share with a small business owner? And Editor Kris Seals asks: What advice would you give someone who has a great concept, but needs resources to bring it to fruition?RLJ: I think that the greatest challenge always facing small business owners, and I had it too

when starting BET, is access to capital. What you have to do is put together your business plan, and identify potential strategic partners to approach operating in the same business sector, because they are more likely than others to understand what it is you’re trying to achieve. Also, prepare a compelling story, focusing on the bottom line, about how this business can be a successful enterprise. Often, we become emotional about our businesses, and talk about what they might mean to the community or to us in a personal sense. When you’re looking for investors, the real thing you want to focus on for investors is what it means in terms of a return on their

investment. You want to convince them to have confi dence in your integrity and your character and that you will manage their investment well and that you will deliver value. After you’ve done that, you can begin to share your passion with them about what impact you envision making on your community or on society as a whole. But fi rst and foremost, remember that business people expect to get a return for their risk capital, and they expect you to be assured that you plan to work as hard as you can to give them a return on their investment.

KW: Attorney Bernadette Beekman would like to know what was the biggest professional risk you ever took? RLJ: That’s hard to answer because I don’t look at risks in terms of their size. You wouldn’t be an entrepreneur if you didn’t take risks. If I were to point to anything, it would be BET. BET was a risk when it started out since there wasn’t any cable TV in the big cities, advertisers didn’t know about advertising on cable, and people assumed African-Americans couldn’t afford to subscribe to cable.Everything you do as an entrepreneur is a risk. But if you look at them not as risks but as opportunities, you have an entirely different point-of-view as to what constitutes a risk. I saw BET not as a risk, but as an opportunity, and for me, that opportunity turned out to be a

very positive one.

KW: Environmental activist Grace Sinden asks: Given your history of interest in politics and philanthropy, going forward, what do you think is the most important thing a person can do to make the world a better place? RLJ: I have always have a tilt towards what’s in the best interest of minority Americans, particularly African-Americans, and I think, in many ways, those concerns apply to the country overall. I believe one of the best things we can do is elect very intelligent, principled, committed people willing to sacrifi ce their personal agenda for the country’s agenda. In order to do that, you’ve got to get to know your politicians and you have to consider your vote as a very valuable asset that you use in a very selfi sh way.

KW: Children’s book author Irene Smalls asks: How can a young black child become a Bob Johnson of today? What steps would you suggest?RLJ: Well, that’s a tough question to answer. I believe that the most important thing that most mothers want for their son or daughter is character. By character, I mean understanding and accepting responsibility; being respectful of themselves and others; getting the education they need to be successful; striving to become a productive member of society; and exhibiting a willingness to work hard to get ahead. All those

things put together. I think that any mother or father should try to inspire their children to believe in themselves, to be willing to work for what they receive rather than expect a handout, and to be proud of that work. In one of his speeches, Dr. Martin Luther King said something to the effect of, “Don’t be embarrassed by whatever labor you’re undertaking. If you sweep the streets, sweep the streets the way Michelangelo painted pictures.” In other words, be committed to what you’re doing. And if that’s the case, you’ll more than likely get the recognition that will enable you to continue to move up and better yourself, better your community and better your society.

KW: Editor/Legist Patricia Turnier is curious to know whether you are thinking about writing your autobiography to inspire aspiring entrepreneurs? That would be great because I’m always send way more questions to ask you than we have time to get to. RLJ: No, one thing I’ve always said is that I’m never going to write a book. Anyway, I do these interviews with you, Kam, so you can share them with your readers as sort of mini-books.

KW: I appreciate that, Bob. Thanks again for the time, and best of luck with the Urban Movie Channel.RLJ: Anytime, Kam!

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to the needs of the people. This was the largest representation of student involvement in social change efforts in Mississippi since Freedom Summer in 1964. These students were the “fuel of the ground game” since they participated in more than 22 community legal clinics and assisted more than 1,000 clients. Thus, this article serves as a guide for clinical professors when developing a community lawyering clinic that focuses on building a collaborative strategy for social change. Allen also exercised writing as advocacy when she wrote a policy paper that was commissioned by the Mississippi Access to Justice Commission. Allen organized the public hearings and drafted the subsequent report. Allen begins the report, writing “to be poor in America is to face myriad challenges in everyday life.” The report is organized like a legal argument because it explores the barriers experienced by the poor when seeking to obtain legal services (issue), contrasts their experiences with current practices (rule), provides fi rsthand accounts of everyday people (analysis)

and offers practical solutions for change (conclusion). The law review article and report demonstrate how writing can serve as a multifaceted tool and reach a diverse audience. It can be used to educate, mobilize, organize and inform, more generally. These written publications may reach law professors, law students, community advocates, attorneys and policy stakeholders. The goal of wielding of the pen as a tool for waging war against injustice is to raise public awareness related to social justice issues and challenge everyday people to take action in eradicating the root causes of injustices. Ida B. Wells’ work as a journalist and social activist demonstrates the power of writing as advocacy. Wells leveraged writing as a tool in order to break down barriers and create a more just world. As we refl ect on the leadership legacy of Wells, how will you use writing as advocacy as a tool to advance liberty and justice for all?

Dr. Artika R. Tyner is the interim diversity and inclusion o ffi cer at the University of St. Thomas.

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YMCA AT HERITAGE PARK1015 4th Ave. N., Minneapolis, MN 55405 (P) 612 821 2193

Come down to the Y at Heritage Park, Monday - Friday from 6:00am-8:00pm for a tour and Free Group Exercise class. Featuring: Yoga, Pilates, Ta’ Chi, Zumba and more.

Contact Kimieshia Paul at 612-821-2195 for additional information.

Inviting All Active Adults, 40+


COMMUNITY

Classifi eds Phone: 612.588.1313 Fax: 612.588.2031 Email: [email protected]

National Night Out at Turning Point

UCare informational meetings on Medicare plan options and “Medicare 101”

Turning Point is participating in the National Night Out on Tuesday, August 4, starting at 5 p.m., 1500 Golden Valley Road, in the parking lot (corner of James Ave N & Golden Valley Rd). NNO annual nationwide event encourages residents to get out in the community, holding block parties and getting to know their neighbors as a way to encourage crime prevention. There will be a live DJ and food.

August events are free. UCare will host informational meetings about its UCare for Seniors Medicare health plan options. UCare for Seniors has more than 93,000 members across Minnesota and western Wisconsin. To register for a meeting or to obtain more information, call 1-877-523-1518 toll free.

UCare for Seniors health plan informational meetings:

Monday, August 3• 9:30 a.m., Unity Hospital - Classroom B, 550 Osborne Rd., Fridley 55432

Tuesday, August 4

• 9:30 a.m., Shoreview Community Center, 4580 Victoria St., Shoreview 55126• 2 p.m., Forest Lake VFW, 556 SW 12th St., Forest Lake 55025

Wednesday, August 5• 2 p.m., UCare, 500 Stinson Blvd. NE, Minneapolis 55413• 2 p.m., Eagan Community Center, 1501 Central Pkwy., Eagan 55121

Thursday, August 6• 2 p.m., Jewish Community Center, 1375 St. Paul Ave., St. Paul 55116

Monday, August 10• 9:30 a.m., Eden Prairie Senior Center, 8950 Eden Prairie Rd.,

Eden Prairie 55347• 2 p.m., Lakeville Heritage Center, 20110 Holyoke Ave., Lakeville 55044

Tuesday, August 11• 9:30 a.m., Crystal Community Center, 4800 Douglas Drive, Crystal 55429• 5:30 p.m., Minnetonka Community Center, 14600 Minnetonka Blvd., Minnetonka 55345

Wednesday, August 12• 2 p.m., Ridgedale Library, 12601 Ridgedale Drive, Minnetonka 55305 Monday, August 17• 5:30 p.m., Maple Grove

Community Center, 12951 Weaver Lake Rd., Maple Grove 55369

Tuesday, August 18• 2 p.m., Maplewood Community Center, 2100 White Bear Ave., Maplewood 55109

Wednesday, August 19• 2 p.m., UCare, 500 Stinson Blvd. NE, Minneapolis 55413• 2 p.m., Hampton Inn, 4175 Dean Lakes Blvd., Shakopee 55379

Thursday, August 20• 2 p.m., Southdale Library, 7001 York Ave. S., Edina 55435

Monday, August 24

• 2 p.m., Unity Hospital – Auditorium, 550 Osborne Rd., Fridley 55433

Wednesday, August 26• 2 p.m., Bloomington City Hall & Center/Arts (use arts entrance), 1800 W. Old Shakopee Rd., Bloomington 55431• 5:30 p.m., HealthEast Woodwinds Hospital, 1925 Woodwinds Drive, Woodbury 55125 A salesperson will be present with information and applications. For accommodation of persons with special needs at sales meetings, call 1-877-523-1518 toll free (TTY 1-800-688-2534 toll free).

“Medicare 101” Meetings (Medicare overview, not UCare health plan information):

Tuesday, August 18• 5:30 p.m., Maplewood Community Center, 2100 White Bear Ave., Maplewood 55109

Monday, August 24• 5:30 p.m., Unity Hospital – Auditorium, 550 Osborne Rd., Fridley 55433

Wednesday, August 26• 5:30 p.m., Bloomington City Hall & Center/Arts (use arts entrance), 1800 W. Old Shakopee Rd., Bloomington 55431

RENTALSTapestry Management, LLC has various sized apart-ments/townhomes for rent in the following locations: St. Paul, Golden Valley, Mankato, Red Wing, N. St. Paul, Rochester, Plymouth, Jordan, Winona, Olivia, and Red-wood Falls. Rental assistance is available to qualifi ed applicants in all locations. Please contact the appropri-ate location for availability and additional information.Birmingham Townhomes – St. Paul952-854-8800Calvary Center Apartments – Golden Valley 763-546-4988Colonial Square Apartments – Mankato507-345-1321Cooperidge Apartments – Red Wing651-388-1500Franklyn Park Apartments – N. St. Paul651-770-1504Innsbruck Townhomes – Rochester 507-289-1319Mission Oaks Townhomes – Plymouth763-559-5770Newbridge Apartments – Rochester507-282-8284Northgate Community Housing – Rochester507-289-1319Oakridge Apartments – Rochester507-281-1031Schule Haus – Jordan952-492-2084Wapasa Apartments – Winona507-429-9261Westcourt Apartments – Olivia 320-523-2101Westfalls Townhomes – Redwood Falls507-641-5933

VACANCIESCokato Apts, Cokato, MN (a seniors complex 62 or over or handicapped) has vacancies on 2nd Floor for one BR apts. Waiting list open. Contact Don at 320-286-2758. E-Mail [email protected]

TownhomesAvailable

Fieldcrest inMoorhead, MN

Rent based on 30%of income

2 & 3 bdroms open

MetroPlainsManagement

701-232-1887

www.metroplains-management.com

Administrative AssistantBrakins Consulting & Psychological ServicesBrakins Consulting& Psychological Services, LLC & the African American Child Well-ness Institute seeks a highly motivated individual for a full-time position as an Admin-istrative Assistant to work in a community-based private practice clinic that primarily serves African American children, adolescents and adult. We are seeking an energetic Administrative Assistant who can show initiative and leadership skills, has strong com-puter technical abilities, has their own transportation, has fl exible hours and is willing to grow professionally with the company. The Administrative Assistant (AA) will be re-sponsible for performing moderately complex to complex administrative tasks in sup-port of the Executive/Clinic Director and the Mental Health Service Delivery Treatment team. Duties include extensive meeting scheduling, providing assistance to coordinate larger and complex meetings. Compiling information and preparing moderately complex documents, spreadsheets and reports using appropriate software; assisting, screening and/or selectively referring callers; handling complex and sensitive inquiries/calls from external/internal sources.

The AA is also responsible for confi rming travel arrangements and managing pay-ments for payroll and expense report reimbursement. The AA will also provide support within areas of reporting for business documentation and team/individual goals, per-sonnel changes and department record keeping processes. The successful candidate proactively tracks procedures and deadlines. The candidate may work closely with both internal and external customers to meet service needs. The AA will also act as an onsite assistant for the Treatment team for miscellaneous duties such as equipment assis-tance, delivery support and supplies. Performing special projects as requested.

The successful candidate must have a minimum of 2 or 4 years of college plus 2 years experience as an administrative assistant; possess strong written and verbal communi-cation skills and have experience with interacting with ethnically diverse mental health consumers. Versatility in web-based electronic health information software such as PROCENTIVE is a huge advantage for the successful candidate.

Interested candidates should send a resume, interest letter and at least 3 references to: BraVada Garrett-Akinsanya, Ph.D., LP, Clinic DirectorBrakins Consulting& Psychological Services, LLC & The African American Child Well-ness Institute4050 Olson Memorial Hwy # 195Golden Valley, MN 55422(Phone) 763-522-0100 (Fax) 763-588-0100Email: [email protected]

Notice of U.S. Magistrate Judge Vacancy

The Judicial Conference of the United States has authorized the appointment of one full-time United States Magistrate Judge for the United States District Court for the District of Minnesota.

The current salary of the full-time position is $185,012 per year and the position will be located in Minneapolis or St. Paul. The term of offi ce for a full-time magistrate judge is eight years; incumbents may be reappointed to successive terms.

The full public notice, application instructions, and application form are available on the Court’s website at www.mnd.uscourts.gov. Applications must be received no later than 5:00 p.m. Central Time on Friday, July 31, 2015.

RENTAL UNITS AVAILABLE

The Leech Lake Band of Ojibwe Housing Author-ity has rental units available in Cass County, MN. Please call 218 -335-8280 . Must meet certain qualifi cations.

Part-time Administrative/Outreach

CoordinatorHawthorne Neighborhood Council is seeking to fill a part-time Hawthorne Neighborhood Council is seeking to fill a part-time Administrative/Outreach Coordinator position. (25 hours a week) We are looking for a detailed, organized, flexible, motivat-ed pro-active individual with a passion for community engage-ment in the non-profit world. This position will provide support in the Hawthorne neighborhood.

Experience:Skills/Attributes: Knowledge of program management, non-profit management and marketing strategies. High attention to detail, exceptional organizational and multitasking skills, self-motivated. This candidate will also possess great commu-nication and interpersonal skills both verbal and written. Have the ability to build and maintain good relations with partners, funders, and community stakeholders. Maintain a high level of professionalism with a positive attitude. Well organized self-starter and works professionally with volunteers. Intellectual cu-riosity to learn about the organizations’ activities and neighbor-hood is a plus. Knowledge of web design, Facebook, Microsoft Publisher, Excel, PowerPoint and Word is a must.

Education:The successful candidate will have a bachelor degree in, Com-munications, Marketing, Journalism or Public relations or some post-secondary education in one of these fields of study as well as work or volunteer experience in the non-profit world.

How to apply:Send a cover letter, resume and a writing sample to [email protected]. Please type your full name and position title into the subject field of the email. Application materials will be reviewed by the search committee starting July 20, 2015. The position will be open until filled.

Human Resources GeneralistThe U.S. District Court, District of MN is accepting applications for a full-time Operations Generalist in our Minneapolis location. Salary range is $41,009 – $66,701. For more information, visit the court’s website www.mnd.uscourts.gov, Employment.

An Equal Opportunity Employer

females, between the ages of, say, 15 to 30. We’ve been so conditioned with the constant bombardment of negative images of young Black folks that we have an almost instinctive reaction of negativity and, at times, fear. A loud group of young Black folks will always get more negative attention than a similarly loud group of young white kids. The situation is so bad, that many Black folks have the same perceptions of negativity and fear about young Black folks. We forget about all of the good, productive and industrious young Black folks. They’re invisible. We don’t even see them. Instead, all we see are the negative images. Why? Because these images have been hammered into our brains by the constant drum beat of negative images of crime, drugs and violence. To be sure, we have

way, way too much crime, drugs and violence in our community – so we’re not making excuses. However, these images almost become a self-fulfi lling prophecy if that is all we’re being fed. A group of very alert and perceptive young folks were discussing the media phenomenon on KMOJ recently. They mentioned that 90 percent of the television, movies and music industry is controlled by a handful of large multi-national companies, whose objective is to make money, regardless of the damage its imagery may be doing to our young people. So, they feed our children and society an image of drug and sex-crazed images and lyrics that slip into our minds, thereby creating the negative stereotyping of Black folks in general, and young folks in particular. As the saying goes, sex and violence sells. It appeals to our lower nature – we try not to listen or look, but the sex and violence pulls us in and after a while, we don’t even think about it anymore,

we just look, listen and indulge. In a somewhat different, but similar vein of unconscious bias, the headline on a recent Minneapolis-St. Paul Spokesman Recorder article talked about how the Washburn Child Guidance Center, one of the largest mental health organizations for children in Minnesota, has no Black clinicians yet it’s most of our children feeding their business. How can that be? Has Washburn Child Guidance Center stopped to think about that? Probably not – at least not consciously. Washburn’s newest facility recently opened in near north Minneapolis, and one can reasonably assume that a substantial number of the children they will be seeing and treating are Black children. Yet, we have more than 50 Black psychologists, social workers, psychiatrists, therapists and others who are trained, educated and experienced in dealing with Black children – none of whom are employed by Washburn. Why? I would submit unconscious bias is the cause.

In a book titled “The Hidden Brain,” social scientist Shankar Vedantam discusses how our hidden brain (i.e. unconscious brain) works for our benefi t and detriment, without even consciously thinking. It works to our benefi t in instantly analyzing threats of danger, like in the cases mentioned earlier about encountering a bear, rattle snake or rat. A young baby or child with no experience with a bear, snake or rat is likely to be harmed. But, because we’ve been socialized and trained to know certain animals as dangerous, our hidden, unconscious, brain allows us to react instinctively to avoid such dangers. This hidden, unconscious brain works to our detriment when we start to judge large groups of people, in this conversation Black folks, in a negative light, without thinking. It is no coincidence that in the liberal state of Minnesota, we have the highest Black/white racial disparities in the country in housing, employment and education. These disparities don’t

“just happen.” They happen for a reason, but the reason is not always apparent – at least to some people. And, the reason that it’s not apparent is because none of us “think we’re biased.” Very few, if any, of us have ever heard a white person say that they’re prejudiced or racist. In fact, the opposite is often true. They spend their time trying to convince Black folks that they’re not racist or prejudice. And, the reality we need to come to accept, is that they truly believe that. What they, and we, often don’t understand is that the racism that is unconscious is no less damaging or deadly. That’s why police offi cer after police offi cer is let off by white folks after killing Black folks. And, that’s why white folks didn’t understand when O.J. Simpson was “let off,” by a majority Black jury in Los Angeles. You see, unconscious bias works both ways. Instead of recognizing and understanding that these acts of violence are engendered by racism, we as a society blame the

victim, because they were “doing something wrong” like the Black folks whose car was backfi ring, which police thought was a gun, so they shot them more than 100 times … or Michael Brown, Trevon Martin, or Eric Garner – all thought to be doing something wrong, when all they were doing was being young … and Black. We need to start recognizing and understanding unconscious bias – both Black folks and white folks alike. It does no good to blame white folks for being racist, even if they are, if they can’t see it and don’t understand it. We need to recognize that we’ve all been conditioned by our society and its systems like the law enforcement and court system, our educational institutions, employment systems and the media to see Black folks as deviant from main stream culture and society, and to therefore treat us differently. As Spike Lee said more than 25 years ago in the movie, “Do the Right Thing, ” “Come on people, wake up.”

RaceFrom 6


RECONSTRUCTI Self Devine’s decade album Anniversary Saturday at First Ave

Th e work of MC, I Self Devine (also known in organizing circles as Chaka Mkali) has reached legendary status for being in line with the struggle for Black and other marginalized communities. With more than 10 years dedicated to community organizing in Minneapolis, and 20-plus years in hip-hop, I Self brings wisdom and experience to any table. “Th is is what was known to be my responsibility … to merge music … to be active in the community,” explained the activist and MC. “In terms of the work that I do, I was born to do this … I was raised to do this.” I Self was raised by parents heavily involved in the Black Power movement in the 1970s. His father worked closely with “Soledad Brother” George Jackson in the development of the Black Guerilla Family. I Self relocated from Los Angeles to Minneapolis reluctantly in 1989 but said it was “probably life saving with the understanding that I was dealing with gangs and also getting involved in the prison system.” Now with seven full-length albums (solo, with Micranots,

and Semi.Offi cial) and four mixtapes under his belt, I Self plans to celebrate the 10th anniversary of his debut solo work, “Self Destruction.” I sat down and spoke with him to get more insight before Saturday night’s show at First Avenue in downtown Minneapolis.

Aesthetically Speaking: How has organizing through art changed for you since you started?

I Self Devine: I think that my intro was that I had a culturally relevant piece, but not necessarily a civic engagement piece. What I mean by that is I would know about my culture and our heroes and our inventions, but I knew less about who was my city councilman … who was the state rep and I just had an us against them viewpoint that was like anyone is going to be against the Black community (forget) everyone. For me in the last 10 years I’ve been trying to catch up to speed with understanding those things. Th e communities I engage with are similar in terms of being mislabeled as apathetic. Th e work that I do using art, music, culture and organizing around racial justice is dispelling the myth

that our people are apathetic. What’s really in context is we are battling systematic generational disengagement. I’d say between “Self Destruction” and “Th e Sound of Low Class America” what I have been trying to do is mix the worlds of Chaka Mkali and I Self because they are diff erent people.

AS: Let’s talk about “Self Destruction.” Where did that piece come from and why is its anniversary so important to you?

ID: Life is so short. It’s a testament to the sustainability in the culture of hip-hop. Th ink of all the people we’ve lost in the last 10 years? One of the things that’s interesting

is there are two people that were part of the recording of “Self Destruction” that are no longer here. One who is Blacc Money, Truth Maze’s younger brother, and the other is Abdulle, who is one of the founders of our community organizing training. As I’m recording and rehearsing I’m feeling a certain type

of way because I’ve known him (Blacc) since he was a kid. When I think of “Self Destruction” I think of all of the things that have occurred since I recorded it and I think about how much I’ve learned. “Self Destruction” had a lot of the early organizer concepts I was wrestling with and developing at the time. Th at was my fi rst foray of really

trying to express my thoughts. Th is was the fi rst time I was a solo artist and the fi rst time I was in charge of the recording process. It was kind of like a coming of age album for me. “Self Destruction” is also important to me when I think about the narratives that come out of Minneapolis; about what the rest of the world thinks about Minneapolis. Sometimes the pictures you see are not accurate pictures of what’s really going on. I also wanted to show a diff erent version of what I knew Minneapolis to be from the perspective of those of color, from those who are struggling. It’s not just cows and the home of Target and General Mills. Th ere are some real issues here. It’s a tale of two cities when you look at education and employment.

AS: What can the audience look forward to at the show?

ID: Th e album will be performed front to back along with a few songs from the mixtape as well as a few b-sides from the singles we released. If I’m in charge of a show I tend to build with a small group of people that I value and respect. (I bring) high quality material, high level performances, and solid content.

AS: How has the climate changed or stayed the same for people of color since the release of “Self Destruction?”

ID: In dealing with human conditions, in the struggle of good versus evil, that’s one issue that will never go out of style. I’m happy that the album stood the test of time but I’m displeased that the issues that were brought up are still issues. Part of my vantage point and role is through music, if intentionally connected with movements, have the ability to soft en the soil to where the cultural revolution takes place fi rst, then the policy work happens aft er that. Music by itself is not enough. Th ere has to be actual work that is connected to the music.

I Self Devine 10-Year Anniversary of “Self Destruction” with special guests Sarah White, Muja Messiah, Lioness, DJ Todda, DJ Just Nine and host Tish Jones.

Saturday, Aug. 1First Avenue 701 1st Ave. N., Minneapolis8 p.m.18-plus$10

By Toki WrightTwitter @mrwrighttc

Photo: Toki Wright

I Self Devine

I also wanted to show a different version of what I knew

Minneapolis to be from the perspective of those of color,

from those who are struggling.


Monday, July 27YOUTH/FILM/WORKSHOP

Summer Film Institute Intermedia Arts2822 Lyndale Ave. S., Minneapolis9:30 a.m. – 4 p.m.

Learn how to write, shoot, and direct a fi lm in one week during the class taught by experienced fi lmmakers and artists Michael D. Hay and Missy Whiteman.

Tuesday, July 28HIP-HOP/PERFROMANCE

Audio Push w/Snow tha Product and Finding Novyon Fine Line Music Café318 First Ave. N.8 p.m.$15-$30

Hailing for Inland Empire, Calif., Audio Push burst on the scene in 2009 with the single “Teach Me How to Jerk.” Since then they have been on the tongues of many in the industry. Snow tha Product features and Finding

Novyon opens.

Wednesday, July 29TV SHOW TAPING

Crown Lens: Live TV Recording for “Candy Fresh” and “Reminisce Over You”Bedlam Lowertown213 4th St., St. Paul6 p.m. – 8 p.m.

Crown Lens Media Group is shooting the pilots for two new TV interview based shows, “Candy Fresh” hosted by Sanni and Miss Brit and “Reminisce Over You” hosted by designer Felicia Perry and Alphonso Fleming, Jr.

Thursday, July 30FUNK/PERFORMANCESpaceFro Negro: Str8 2th/Moors Blackmon/LikeMindsBedlam Lowertown213 4th St., St. Paul9:30 p.m.

Billed as a “Future Funk Family Aff air” catch groups Moors Blackmon, LikeMinds, and Str8 2th at the Bedlam.

Friday, July 31FUNK/FUTURE SOUL

PHO with Sarah White and Low SparkTriple Rock Social Club629 Cedar Ave. S., Minneapolis

Funk group PHO welcomes Sarah White (with her live band) back from her yoga journey to Costa Rica. Funk

group Low Spark from Chicago opens.

Saturday, Aug. 1POETRY

East African CelebrationMidtown Farmers Market2225 E. Lake St., Minneapolis10 a.m. – 12 a.m.

Hear pieces from East African poets Fayise Mohamed Ahmed Abrahim, Asma Farah, {{{I X I V the Lily}}} and Nimo Hussein Farah. Th ere will also be artifacts from the Somali Museum of Minnesota and Dhaanto dance and a special performance by Ifrah Mansour.

HIP-HOP/PERFORMANCE

I Self Devine – “Self Destruction” 10 Year AnniversaryFirst Avenue 701 First Ave. N., Minneapolis8 p.m.18-plus$10 advance, $12 door

See the Aesthetically Speaking feature story for full details on this show and to read the question and answer session with Aesthetically Speaking and artist, I Self Devine.

Sunday, Aug. 2HIP-HOP/PERFORMANCE

Prophetta and John Shrimpnose w/Chantz Erolin First Avenue/7th Street

Entry701 1st Ave. N., Minneapolis7:30 p.m.$5

$10Chanzt Erolin joins Rich Garvey, Sayth and North House on this eclectic bill of hip-h op.

Aesthetically It! is a list of picks from the editors of Aesthetically Speaking. Aesthetically It! features venues, events, outings and more that are worthy of “It” status. If you have a venue, event or outing that you feel is “It” worthy, email us at [email protected]

July 26 - August 2

Who is Debbie Duncan?Minneapolis has a population of 382,578 residents and it’s a bet that many residents are familiar with exemplary jazz singer Debbie Duncan. Yet, there are many who have never heard her impeccable voice. Until, I heard her perform at the recent Minnesota Jazz Festival I was in that category. Duncan sang many jazz classics, but her rendition and delivery of “Bye Bye Black Bird” and “What A Little Moon Can Do” was not only fl awless but a delightful journey. I was in awe and impressed by the skillful manipulation of how Duncan plays with lyrics, musical notes and scats. She expresses a song like it’s a personal story she is conveying with good friends, a powerful and endearing ability. Well known as a Minnesota standout, I wondered why Duncan wasn’t a household name like Nancy Wilson or Carmen McRae. I made it a point to fi nd out who she is and why she is not more widely recognized. Duncan has been awarded Minnesota’s Best Female Jazz Vocalist, Best Jazz Vocalist, Best Jazz CD and presented with a Minnesota Black Music Award. In fact, she won the

Minnesota Music Awards so oft en the state came up with another award titled the Perpetually Outstanding Performance Award in which she also won the fi rst year it was bestowed. “You know I have never thought about rewards but it’s kind of cool to be recognized,” said Duncan. Duncan was born in

Memphis, but raised in Detroit and Battle Creek, Mich. “I have been singing since I was 3 years old. I sang with the Norton Park Reform Choir for 2 years,” said Duncan. “My grandmother sang in a church choir, my father introduced me to jazz music and my mother just listened to good music. I was 14 years old when I began studying voice. I was a

music nut forever. I was always watching music shows and performing on my mom’s table pretending I was performing. I don’t know how I graduated from high school because I was always consumed with music. If it wasn’t for the fact that I played fl ute in marching band at my high school, which required me to be there at 7 a.m. I may not have graduated.” Duncan continued studying voice as a young adult at Wayne State University in Detroit. Duncan recounted her fi rst professional performance in Michigan. “I sang in a woman’s choral with my friend Pam Smith and we sang folk music just for fun. Well, someone heard us and decided to hire us for a bar across the street from Wayne (State) University called the Serpent 1890, and we sang folk music,” said Duncan. “A funny story is once I got a gig and my friend told the manager I could scat but I had never scat inside a song. So aft er a night or two the manager approached my friend and said if she doesn’t scat tomorrow I’m going to let her go. I went home and listened over and over to Sarah Vaughan’s ‘Lullaby of Birdland,’ I learned how to scat and sang that one song every night to represent my scatting ability.” Many years later with

a great deal of performing experience, awards, and a great love for music, Duncan arrived to Minnesota in 1984, becoming a local favorite among jazz enthusiasts. Although Duncan performs pop and classic soul as well, jazz is at the top of her list that she enjoys. Curious as to whether Duncan’s music selections refl ect calls for social justice in the midst of African-Americans being murdered by police offi cers and the massive outcry that “Black Lives Matter,” and her opinion of the recent documentary, “What Happened Miss Simone?” a fi lm about Simone, a famous

jazz singer and civil rights activist, Duncan replied, “I heard about it but I haven’t seen it yet. But I love, love Nina Simone. I’ve done a musical tribute to Nina Simone. Music and art is the way to change the world and it has changed the world. I love singing Nina’s song ‘Mississippi Goddam’ to give some of the lovely passive-aggressive people of Minnesota something to think about. But I’d rather take the approach of making change in the world from a place of love – hit them with love and not cursing in my songs.” For more information on this Twin Cities legend go to www.debbieduncan.net.

Travis Chantar

Sarah White

By N’soroma James

Debbie Duncan

Thank youfo� making this year’s

DIVERSITY DAY

the most successful one in history

twinsbaseball.com/diversity


Insight News ::: 07.27.15

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